The fragrance of hoa sữa, or milk flower, is so deeply embedded in the mythology of Hanoi’s autumnal days that singers, poets and authors alike have all sung its praises.
Not everybody loves hoa sữa’s scent, though – its pungency borders on being invasive and, for some, its presence provides nothing other than an odor of discontent. What about you, Hanoians, do you love it or hate it?
Check out the postcard below (click to flip for text):
Chris Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcards is our series of love notes to the city we call home. This second offering is of a flower seller cycling along with her florets. With sunlight shining through an audience of trees, her...
Chris Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi's lakes, including Hồ Gươm, are brimming with fish, debris and memories of historical lore.
It doesn’t feel so long ago that Saigon went into battle mode against invaders of microscopic scales.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
The third entry in the Saigon Postcards series, our loving messages to the city we call home, focuses on a simple pleasure.
The menacing, irritating presence of a black SUV in a narrow alleyway, rain-soaked commuters, bird-like characters riding motorbikes in the capital; Olivier Blanchin's vision of Hanoi is quotidian and...
Linh Phạm in Hanoi
My father-in-law has spent decades visiting Hồ Tây (West Lake). His personal story both contrasts and reflects Vietnam's history as a whole and, as a result, offers a profound insight into the im...
This Halloween season, travelers to Đà Nẵng are thrilled by the unexpected appearance of a giant pumpkin at the entrance of Da Nang International Terminal. Aiming to instill a pleasant surprise and co...
A meal that celebrates French and Korean cuisine and incorporates Vietnamese techniques served in a Phú Quốc restaurant designed in homage to 1920s American opulence? Such an outlandishly unique meal ...
In Sino-Vietnamese, Ninh means “peace, tranquility, and happiness,” while Vân means “cloud.” Together, they form "clouds of peace," which evoke a sense of calm freedom and gentle romance amidst the va...
Vietnam has plenty of resorts but few offer guests the opportunity to foster deep connections with nature and themselves. Amanoi, perched atop the verdant, rolling hills of Vĩnh Hy, is one such proper...
Students unable or unwilling to follow classroom instructions and lessons; children verbally or physically abusing teachers, classmates, and family members; young people experiencing depression and ev...
Extravagant lion dancers tumbled and leaped before cascading sparks; graceful fan dancers strutted across the stage; and a techno-backed bartender twirled cocktail shakers in front of an enraptured cr...
